Klopp tells Reds to keep calm and carry on
JURGEN: IT’S NOT A CATASTROPHE, WE’LL FIX THIS
LIVERPOOL V BURNLEY 8PM
JURGEN KLOPP has issued a rallying cry to Liverpool and their fans by insisting: “This is not a catastrophe – I know what we have to do!”
The Reds have slipped from top to fourth in the Premier League, having picked up an average of only 1.5 points per game in the past two months which is no better than mid-table form.
They face Burnley tonight as Klopp outlined his defiant mentality with a warning that his side cannot panic and change what has brought them so much success in recent years.
“We have to be calm in this situation,” said the manager. “It is not a catastrophe, it is not perfect, but that is not important. Be as good as you can be.
“I learned in my life it doesn’t help if you get overly active in difficult situations. If you are convinced about something then you have to do it.
“If you are in doubt then you should change something or better, ask someone who is not in doubt. And that didn’t happen so far.
“I know what we have to do. I want to give it a proper, proper try tomorrow.
We are together with the squad all the time, and believe it or not we think about these things the same, because the players still listen to me – which helps!”
Klopp has experience of dealing with far worse situations.
In his final year at Borussia Dortmund, they were bottom of the Bundesliga at this stage of the season, with an average of only 0.8 points per game.
But they rallied to bank more than two points per game in their final 15 matches to finish in a European place.
Klopp said: “Sometimes you have to be really, not stubborn, but resilient maybe and just do it. There were a lot of good signs in the Manchester United game and I will not ignore them.We are on it. I can promise to everybody who is with us, we want to be as successful as possible.”
Joel Matip could start tonight for the first time in four matches after an adductor injury.
Fellow centre-half Virgil van Dijk has been out since October with knee ligament damage and Klopp revealed his comeback looks “really, really promising”.
However, asked if Van Dijk could play again this season, the manager said: “I don’t know what is possible. I don’t know when he’ll be back.”